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DIY Body Butter Recipe

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February 27, 2020 by Autumn 28 Comments

When battling dry, cracked skin, we all want a moisturizer with more power, something with a bit of kick to it! Of course, whatever we use, we always want to keep it natural and healthy. This DIY body butter recipe is just the thing, my secret weapon for combating ultra-dry skin!

You can make it in your own kitchen, using just 3 ingredients!

homemade whipped body butter

 

How It All Works

To make this recipe you need shea butter, coconut oil and a liquid oil. You can use avocado, apricot kernel, jojoba or olive for the latter, but I prefer to use sweet almond oil. It’s a thick and ultra-moisturizing!

The process is simple: melt the shea butter and coconut oil in a double boiler (what is that?) to eliminate lumps, then let these two ingredients cool and return to a solid state. Once they have, you’ll whip them into creamy fluff while incorporating the liquid oil.

And that’s really all there is to it! Here’s the recipe and directions!

 

A DIY Body Butter Recipe for Dry Skin

Here the exact recipe I use when I need a healthy skin moisturizer with extra power!

  • ½ C shea (here’s the type I like to use)
  • ¼ C coconut oil (get yours here)
  • 2 Tbs of sweet almond oil (get it here) or your oil of preference

 

Directions to Follow

Add water to the bottom of your double boiler, filling it 3/4 full. Set it on the stove and turn your burner to medium-high.

While the water is warming up, measure out ½ C shea butter and ¼ coconut oil. Place these two ingredients in the top portion of your double boiler and set in on the water-filled base.

Adjust heat to medium-low so it doesn’t boil, so your shea butter and coconut oil will slowly melt into a golden puddle.

After it has melted, pour the colorful liquid into a mixing bowl. Set it in a cool place and wait for things to firm up. Note: this process can take several hours at room temperature!

Once the shea butter and coconut oil have returned to a solid state, it’s time to fluff the ingredients. I have a small, handheld KitchenAid electric mixer that I like to use for small batches of body butter. However, if you’re making a double batch (like I was in this tutorial), you can use a larger, stationary mixer. Just be sure to use the wire whisks!

Whip the solids for 15 seconds or so, until they resemble the consistency of sour cream. Measure out and slowly add 2 tablespoons of liquid oil to the creamy butter. Whip for another 15 seconds.

And you’re done! You just completed this DIY body butter recipe and now have an extra-nourishing skin moisturizer for everyday use.

 

Storing Homemade Body Butter

Once prepared, your homemade body butter can go directly into a storage container. Because it’s so thick, body butter doesn’t work in pump or a squeezable bottle. I like to store mine in a vintage glass jar, but you can use anything you have available!

Create a simple DIY body butter recipe using just 3 ingredients!

 

How to Apply Body Butter

If you’re accustomed to using commercially prepared, water-based skin moisturizers, you’ll have a slight learning curve ahead of you! Don’t slather this stuff on as thick as you possibly can!

Body butter is made of 100% fats and oils! If you apply too much, your skin won’t be able to absorb it all. Not only is this wasteful, but you’ll soon discover it’s annoying! Your skin will be sticky for hours and in that time, you’ll pick up dust from your home, plus lint and fuzzies from clothing.

When you apply this body butter, take a dime-size dollop and rub it between your hands to melt the oils. Apply to the body, spreading it so thin you can hardly tell it’s there! This DIY body butter recipe creates such a rich substance, your skin really doesn’t need much!

 

Caring for Your Body Butter

Before I let you go, I also want you to know that body butter does melt when exposed to high heat! For example, if you leave it in your car on a hot summer day or forget it in a south-facing window, it will melt into a pool of liquid.

Don’t throw it out! Put it in a cool place and once it has returned to a solid state, simply send it through your kitchen mixer once again, until it’s light and fluffy!

All clear? Let me know how your first attempt with this DIY body butter recipe goes! And if you have any questions, be sure to send them my way!

Share with someone else!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan says

    December 28, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Can you make it without an electric mixer? Just a whisk?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      December 29, 2022 at 9:43 am

      I’ve never tried. 🙂 You probably could, but it would take a very long time!

      Reply
  2. Rosalind says

    July 28, 2022 at 8:04 am

    My niece would like to make this but she lives in Africa which is very hot. What is the best way to store the body butter?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      July 29, 2022 at 8:12 am

      Body butter definitely will melt down in the heat. She could still combine the ingredients, but they would probably stay in liquid form. Still totally usable, but a different end product. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Corrina says

    June 9, 2022 at 9:09 pm

    Okay I think I am confussed. It says to whip for 15 seconds and then another 15 seconds equaling 30 seconds. Is that right?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      June 10, 2022 at 3:10 pm

      Yes, about 30 seconds in total. This recipe isn’t finicky, so I usually just count in my head!

      Reply
  4. Bridgette says

    May 11, 2022 at 9:14 pm

    I have just started using this as my base recipe and I love it. I originally started because my son has eczema and for some reason he is having small flare-ups this spring on his hands. Those lotions and creams can be very expensive. So I gave it a go and it works well on his skin. Now everyone in my house wants their own. I just started adding some light fragrances like French vanilla and a blueberry vanilla mix. Love it!!! Thx

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      May 12, 2022 at 7:03 am

      Hurrah! So glad you found something affordable and natural that works for him!

      Reply
  5. Cerese says

    April 13, 2021 at 8:29 am

    If I wanted to add Fragrance or color would that be a problem…. how many drops of fragrance and is it the same recipe?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      April 13, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      I often add skin-nourishing essential oils to my body butter. This recipe takes about 15-20 drops. If you are using artificial fragrance, you would use less. How much, I’m not sure, because I dont use fragrances! And I’m trying to figure out why someone would add colorants to a skin moisturizer? Are you thinking to use it as a skin bronzer? I dont have any experience with this.

      Reply
      • Cerese says

        April 16, 2021 at 12:17 pm

        I actually saw some pink yellow and even light green… so that’s why I asked…. and yes I have essential oils… that’s what I meant by fragrance sorry.

        Reply
        • Autumn says

          April 16, 2021 at 3:39 pm

          I’m guessing they were coloring it just for fun? Mica and clay are both natural colorants you could try using! Just be careful with what you use; you wouldn’t want to stain your skin! 🙂

          Reply
  6. Pat says

    March 28, 2021 at 10:12 am

    What size jar and how may for your recipe

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      March 28, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      This is a pint/500 MLS jar and the recipe makes one jar.

      Reply
    • Nikki says

      May 9, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      Is this a oily consistency?

      Reply
      • Autumn says

        May 10, 2021 at 6:56 am

        Its fluffy and thick. I’m not sure what you mean by “oily consistency” but it is made from nothing but plant butters (oil) and carrier oil.

        Reply
  7. Mallory says

    January 3, 2021 at 5:00 pm

    Could I use grape seed or hemp oil?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      January 3, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      I’ve never used either grape or hemp oil in body butter, but as long as they come in liquid form, they should work well! Good luck!

      Reply
  8. Tina says

    December 26, 2020 at 1:15 pm

    Hello,
    I am allergic to coconut. What can be substituted instead of coconut to make body butter?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      December 27, 2020 at 5:55 am

      Hi Tina,
      You can make a thick, creamy body butter without coconut oil. Just use shea and liquid oil, omitting the coconut. The consistency won’t be as fluffy, but its will be highly moisturizing!

      Reply
      • Renee says

        January 24, 2022 at 4:18 pm

        I made this with all of the ingredients.. it was not fluffy at all.. it did thicken up but was not fluffy.. suggestions?

        Reply
        • Autumn says

          January 24, 2022 at 6:59 pm

          Hi Renee!
          Did you let it sit until it was solid? And then whip it for several minutes with an electric or hand held mixer? It needs to solidify and then it should get light and fluffy when you vigorously whip it up!

          Reply
  9. Sharon says

    December 25, 2020 at 12:28 am

    Where can I get fragrance to add to the body butter? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      December 25, 2020 at 8:53 am

      I use quality essential oils that also support the skin (frankincense is my current fav). Hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. Kathleen F Lareau says

    December 6, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    How do you store the butter and what is the shelf life?

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      December 6, 2020 at 8:30 pm

      I store mine on the shelf in my bathroom. 🙂 I usually use it up in about 16 month’s time

      Reply
  11. Cyah says

    November 16, 2020 at 8:09 am

    Thank you for sharing. I made this with avocado oil and this is the only thing my son will use now. He loves the texture I even added some fragrance to the body butter and it’s been a big hit. I will try to use a different for like almond oil or olive oil the next time I make a batch and see how it goes. This was very easy and took me really no time at all I hasten the step by putting it in the fridge to help harden it quicker and that works well to hasten the process.

    Reply
    • Autumn says

      November 16, 2020 at 8:51 am

      Hurrah! So glad you liked it! If you want a really heavy butter, I recommend sweet almond oil. It’s amazing!

      Reply

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